GARDEN ADVICE

Growing Soft Fruit

Autumn is a good time to think about planting soft fruit. Soft fruit can be broadly divided into cane fruit such as Raspberries and bush fruit such as Gooseberries and Currants. Strawberries are the exception because they are herbaceous perennials.

Soft fruit enjoy our cool UK climate. They need sunshine but a little shade will be all right. They require fertile soil that retains moisture but is still free draining - that perennial horticultural contradiction in terms. The great advantage of soft fruit over some top fruit is that it is self-fertile so you do not have the headache of working out which varieties are required as pollinators.

Strawberries must be the easiest soft fruit to grow in the garden. They can be grown in open ground or containers. Their healthy life is generally about three years after which they deteriorate. Avoid replanting in the same position for about three years and also avoid planting in a spot where potatoes have previously been grown as there may be some common diseases left in the soil. Before planting the ground will benefit from the application of well rotted farmyard manure and a general fertiliser. Regular watering is necessary and straw or strawberry mats can be laid when the fruits are forming to keep them from touching the ground.

Raspberries take a little more care but are well worth the trouble. Preparation before planting is key. Weeds need to be thoroughly eradicated because they are very difficult to remove later. Permanent supports must be constructed from posts and wire and the soil needs to be well prepared and manured. Dormant canes should be planted and then cut back to about 10 inches in late autumn or early winter. In spring apply a manure mulch or compost and a balanced fertiliser. In the case of summer fruiting raspberries (which fruit on last year's growth) the canes that have fruited should be cut down to ground level after fruiting and the new young canes tied in to the supports. In the case of autumn fruiting varieties cut all the canes down to ground level in late winter.

Blackcurrants, Redcurrants and Whitecurrants also need a sunny site and well-prepared soil. Planting should take place in autumn and winter. In spring mulch and apply nitrogen and potassium fertilisers. It is in the pruning that Blackcurrants differ from Redcurrants and Whitecurrants. Gooseberries are treated similarly to Redcurrants.

Above all, if you are to enjoy any yield at all after all this effort, soft fruit of every kind must be protected from the birds. Netting or constructing a fruit cage is essential.